Through the seasons
by Diamond snow
Summary: Hermione, Luna and Ginny are back at Hogwarts just months after Harry defeated Voldemort. The trio get closer to one another while trying to prepare themselves for the N.E.W.T's. But how will things turn out this year? Especially since Ron and Harry are not there anymore. Rated for romance. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
1. Through the seasons: All Hallows Eve

Hello people! I decided it was time to start on a new Harry Potter story. This takes place in 1998 after the battle of Hogwarts. I thought it would be interesting to see how the last year would turn out for Hermione, Luna and Ginny. Especially since Voldemort is dead and the Death Eaters possibly in prison. This chapter takes place at the end of October. Please let me know what you think in a review or PM!

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 **Through the seasons - All Hallows Eve.**

'RIIIING!'. The sound of an alarm bell rang through the Ravenclaw dormitory room. A slim hand fumbled with the copper-coloured clock and made the noise stop. 'Mmmh. Better get up' thought the female as she rubbed her eyes. She got out of her bed and put on her clothes for the day. It consisted of a pair of stripy charcoal gray tights, a burgundy red A-line skirt that ended just above her knee, a plain white T-shirt plus a knitted sweater that was deep forest green. Luna then picked up her hair brush. This Saturday was quite special. It was a Hogwarts weekend and Halloween. She had decided to get up early so she could finish her transfiguration paper with Hermione. After that, the two girls would meet up with Ginny at the Three Broomsticks.

A smile formed at her face. The young woman had seen a healer once a week from June to early October to recover from her four-month confinement at the Malfoy manor. It had been a great relief for the young witch since it had been far from a pleasant experience. The Malfoys had agreed to pay the healer sessions for Luna and Ollivander after Harry had spoken with them. Coming back to Hogwarts had felt better than what the Ravenclaw student had initially thought it would be. Most of the castle had been restored thanks to an army of immensely powerful wizards plus a lot of help from the Ministry. Only the two top floors at the south wing were still under construction.

Seeing her friends plus her Ravenclaw classmates gave her an additional sense of comfort since they had been through similar experiences. Madam Pomfrey had arranged six sessions with a Danish wizard psychologist after school had started in September to make it easier for the students. The psychologist used a combination of group therapy, writing down your feelings in a diary plus painting during his sessions. It was spot-on for a creative person like the female, who loved painting. A side effect of this was that her bedroom back at home were filled with paintings she had made during the holidays. In addition to this were the two huge drawing books that laid under her dormitory bed. 'Maybe I should make a collage or something of them' pondered Luna as she entered the bathroom.

The Ravenclaw bathroom was painted deep cerulean blue while the floor was in a deep shade of bronze. All the toilets were at the left while a row of sinks stood at the right. Under each sink was a small cupboard where the girls could store their necessities. At the opposite end of the room were the showers plus two bath tubs. There was nobody in there since it was early Saturday morning. The young woman went to her cupboard that was locked with a magic lock. She tapped it with her wand and the door sprang open. The teenager removed a bar of magical soap plus a jar of magical salve that she used at her face. She started cleaning her face with the bright orange soap first. It was made of magical herbs that were supposedly good to the skin.

Afterwards, the female put on the lemon yellow salve that smelled faintly like dittany. 'Hm. I think I'll go with a knot today. I got a busy day after all' decided Luna after checking her hair. She brushed out her hair and picked up the stripy scrunchie that laid in her cupboard. The female had to cut off ten inches of her hair after staying at the Malfoy manor. It now reached about four inches below her shoulders, which was fine with her. Her shorter hair was easier to take care of plus that it needed less products. She then went down to the Great Hall for some breakfast.

The hallways were completely empty, save for the paintings. "Good morning my lady" greeted a knight at a nearby photo. "Good morning sir" replied the Ravenclaw before she gave him a small curtsy. He gave her a nod in reply. She walked down the first staircase while holding tight onto the rail. A major disadvantage of living in the Ravenclaw tower was the number of staircases she had to climb up or down to get from A to B. The fact that they moved did not made it any more fun for the Ravenclaw students. The Slytherins as well as the Hufflepuffs had it a lot easier – their dormitories were either in the dungeon or next to the kitchen. It took about ten minutes for the young woman to reach the Great Hall. A familiar smell of fried bacon, boiled eggs mixed with toast made her nose tingle. There were barely any people sitting at the different tables. She smiled when she saw the Quidditch team for Ravenclaw leaving their table. They had lost the previous game against Hufflepuff and did NOT wanted to lose against Slytherin unless something out of their control happened. She picked up two slices of toast, a cooked tomato, two mushrooms plus some scrambled eggs. The teenager then poured herself a cup of tea as she sat down to eat. She was not in a hurry by any means; she was going to meet Hermione in half an hour.

A smile formed at her face when she a copy of the Quibbler laying at the table. The magazine had become more popular after the war since it had been one of the few media outlets that were not censored by Voldemort. She picked up the copy and started to read it while eating her toast. 'A link has been found between the Scandinavia trolls after measuring their frames. It appears as if – Holy Merlin! I'm going to be late!' realized the female when she looked at the watch in the Great Hall. She drank the last bit of her tea before she grabbed her schoolbag. The blonde then jogged up to the library where her friend was waiting for her. She managed to get to the library on time and found the other female sitting next to a statue.

"Hello Hermione. I hope I'm not too late" whispered the young woman as she sat down at the opposite end of the table. "No, you're just on time actually. What do you need help with Luna?" inquired Hermione. "I need a bit of help with the paper on human transfiguration. I have managed to finish the portion about hair colour, but not the one concerning skin colour. All I know is that more than 10% of the skin must be visible plus the possibility of wearing the skin down. But I don't know how to move on from there" informed Luna while she opened her book bag. She laid her paper and writing utensils at the paper. They had been given a paper where they had to describe how to change the pigmentation on humans. It had to contain detailed information on how to make this possible plus what the side effects could be. "You got a good start here Luna. I think you should look at the portion concerning pigment first. Then, write the dangers about making the skin red or splotchy skin tone. Pretty sure you'll find some more information in the transfiguration book as well as this one" told the young woman. She then laid a book called 'How to disguise oneself using colours and costumes" written by a French wizard named Thomas Leroy.

"Thank you Hermione. Are Gryffindor practicing for the next Quidditch match?" inquired Luna as she opened up her transfiguration book. "You bet they are. They don't want to lose against Hufflepuff" replied the brunette with a wry smile at her face. Their team would not be the same without their star seeker or the 'Weasley king'. Harry was a trainee at the auror department and would sit his exams in December. Ron however were helping out George at 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes'. The duo had promised to coming to Hogwarts next week for lessons with McGonagall. "I think it'll be an interesting Quidditch match. Both of our teams have a lot of good players this year" stated the young woman as she adjusted her red striped tie. "Mhm" agreed the younger female as she opened the book her friend had given her. She soon found a chapter that had some information she needed. The blonde then checked her transfiguration book for some more in-depth information. Spending so much time with Hermione had taught her to be a bit more analytical in her schoolwork. This had improved her grades, especially in transfiguration as well as D.A.D.A. Both students remained silent as they finished up their papers. The older woman finished first, but started working at another one while waiting for her friend. She had managed to write down quite a bit given that they had only been here for 45 minutes or so.

"Could you please look at this Hermione?" inquired the Ravenclaw after she had completed her last paragraph. "Sure" replied the witch as she leaned over to check the paper. Her cool brown eyes scanned the paper with high speed, checking for anything that was wrong or not fitting in. "You misspelled the name of that charm twice in that paragraph. I think you should put a full stop in the middle as well – that sentence is really long. But I can't see anything you've missed concerning the colour change" informed the female. "I see. Thank you Hermione" said the witch with a grateful smile at her face. After she had corrected her mistakes, the duo went off to meet Ginny for their Hogsmeade trip. They went straight to the fountain where they had agreed to meet up with the female.

It was not hard to spot her. The Weasley witch was wearing a beige jacket, a pair of black jeans plus her trusty brown leather boots. Her light auburn hair had been tied up in a high ponytail to show off her face. "Hello Ginny! How are you?" greeted Luna as they approached her. A bright smile lit up her friend's face as they approached her. "I'm really good, thanks for asking! I finished the Quidditch practice twenty minutes ago. It went quite well – I'm really looking forward to our match against Hufflepuff. I'm going to play seeker this year" informed the female. The excited look in her hazel eyes matched the tone of her voice. The sky was surprisingly clear, but a cold breeze was blowing. It would probably get warmer since it was only 10:20 AM.

"What shop should we visit first? We better take advantage of the time" told Hermione as they started to walk towards Hogsmeade. "Maybe we should go to Honeydukes first. I heard they had a sale on the classic sweets. I know Harry and Ron would love to get some of those" suggested the Quidditch player as they walked down the road to Hogsmeade. "I think that's a great idea Ginny. Remind me that I need to stop at the clothing shop too. Some of the nargles ran away with two of my T-shirts" replied the female while she re-tied her fair locks. Her older friend noticed the small urge to roll her eyes, but she easily resisted it. The journey she had been on with her friends last year had taught her that the magical world did not always made sense.

It did not take long for the trio to reach Hogsmeade. Leaves in bright orange, golden yellow as well as pale red were either on the ground or the trees. Nearly all the shop windows were decorated with carved pumpkins that had different faces. Some of them had magical black sparks gnistering in the window while others had small dancing skeletons. The girls decided to go to Honeydukes straight away. Their shop window advertised with special editions on Bertie Bott's Every Flavour beans plus limited editions on chocolate frog cards. "HERMIONE! COME HERE!" shouted the young woman while pointing at the card guide in the shop window. Her hazel eyes were wide in surprise. The older teenager walked over, wondering what had caused her friend to react like that. She was not someone to be easily shocked after growing up with six brothers.

"Look Hermione! That's you!" exclaimed the redhead as she pointed at a card on the far right side. Her friend felt her eyes widen in wonder when she saw the card the other female had been pointing at. Right next to Hengist of Woodcroft was a card with her name. It even had a very nice photo of herself that had been taken by 'The Quibbler' after the final battle. "You're right. I can't believe it" muttered the brunette in wonder. It felt so strange to see yourself on a chocolate frog card. "Hey…they got your brother too Ginny" informed the Ravenclaw. She was pointing at a card on the bottom row. Both young women turned their head to the left. Their friend was right; a card featuring Ron Weasley stood right next to Queen Maeve. It did not take them long to find the card with Harry either. He was located at the same row as Hermione, but was next to Gwenog Jones.

"We got to buy some chocolate frogs! Especially since we get the fourth one for free" told the youngest Weasley. The trio split up and started their search for sweets. 'Hm…I think I should buy some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour beans for Ron. He'll definitely enjoy some liquorice wands too. I doubt he has gotten over his dislike of jelly slugs though' recalled Hermione. The guy had disliked slugs in any shape or form ever since the incident in their second year. She could not blame him since most people would feel nauseous at the thought of vomiting snails. 'Perhaps I should buy some pumpkin pasties instead. They're on offer and I like those too. Yeah, that sounds like a safe bet' decided the young woman as she took three packets of pumpkin pasties down from the shelf.

She then went to the counter with her sweets. She noticed that her fellow Gryffindor had bought some fizzing whizzbees and chocolate frog. Similar to her, the female had bought a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour beans as well. The last member of their group however had stocked up with Drooble's Best Blowing gum in addition to the chocolate frogs. "Excuse me...do you happen to have any pepper imps left? I did not see any" inquired Luna as she approached the counter. "Sure. Just give me a moment" replied the clerk. "Pepper imps? I'm sorry, but you must be the first person who I've met who like those" told Hermione in a surprised voice. "I think they're good for clearing up the mouth. Second, they were sold out on the toothflossing strongmints that I like" answered the female. The shop assistant soon appeared with two boxes of pepper imps in his hand.

The trio then went to the clothing shop after they had paid for their goods. The muggle-born female had to admit that the small shop had a nice variety of clothing. They had clothing items that were clearly to be used for the Hogwart uniform for starters. But they had clothes like jeans, hoodies plus T-shirts that were obviously for spare time use too. She noticed that they a nice selection of nightwear as well as underwear at the back of the shop. "What do you think of these?" asked Luna while she held up two T-shirts. One of them was a plain white T-shirt with a crew neck on it while the other was a tie-dyed T-shirt that. Both females inspected the colours a bit closer. The tie dye seemed to consist of different shades of blue that ranged between baby blue to pale navy blue. It was in a 70's style that their friend seemed to prefer. "It's certainly your style" replied the 19-year old in a polite voice.

"Why don't you try them on so we can see?" suggested the auburn-haired woman. "Sure" replied the female before she skipped towards the changing room. She soon emerged with the white T-shirt. It fitted her quite nicely. "Looks very good on you. Is this for school?" inquired the brunette. "Mhm. I think wearing just a shirt during the fall is a bit chilly. I doubt it's Wrackspurts since they left Hogwarts during the summer" informed the blonde. She then pulled the curtain and her two friends looked at each other with a knowing smile. They were not making fun of her – she was just someone with a lot of character. The duo then turned their heads when the young woman emerged with her tie-dye T-shirt. "Whoa. That looks…amazing Luna" stated the curly-haired female. The T-shirt was just the right size for the Ravenclaw for starters. Second, the soft shades of blue complimented her blonde hair as well as her pale skin quite well. "I like it too. You should buy it" told the other Gryffindor. "Thanks. I'll buy it. I can't believe it was in the sales bin" informed the female with a smile at her face. "That's quite a bargain I'd say" replied the older woman after zipping up her beige jacket. "I agree" told the 18-year old before she pulled the curtain in front of her. She emerged a minute later and went straight to the counter to pay for her shirts.

"Are we going to the Three Broomsticks now? I don't have anything more errands to run" informed the brunette after they exited the shop. The weather was a bit warmer now compared to earlier. The sun had risen higher on the sky while the wind had calmed down to a light breeze. "I suppose we are. I don't have any errands either" told the redhead. She glanced at the clock; it was a quarter to noon. The trio then went to the Three Broomsticks with a firm grip on their shopping bags. A small 'ding' could be heard as they entered the bar. All three of them let out a sigh of relief when the warmth wrapped around their bodies. A familiar smell of Butterbeer combined with spice and pumpkin tingled their noses just a second later. The owners had decorated their establishment for Halloween as well. A pair of carved pumpkins were placed at each end of the bar while a fake skeleton next to the door gave customers a polite bow. Each table was decorated with a small candle that either looked like a carved pumpkin, a skull or a troll head. The oldest woman smiled when she looked at the troll head. She could still remember the first Halloween party at Hogwarts where she had ran into the troll at the girl's bathroom. That happened to be the night where the two boys became two of her best wizard friends.

"Hey, what are you going to order Hermione?" asked the youngest witch in their party. Her voice snapped her back to the real world as she noticed her friends had sat down close to a magical painting of some scholars. "I-I think I'll look at the Halloween specials. I haven't tasted those in two years" informed the 19-year old with a smile. She sat down and picked up the menu. They had Halloween Butterbeer, pumpkin tea spiced with numerous magical Herbs as well as a coffee that had been blended with roasted pumpkin shells, cocoa powder and cinnamon. She then saw Madam Rosmerta approach their table with a relieved look at her face. "Hello girls! I'm so happy to see you three are back at school after that horrific year. We're actually serving first drink for free today to celebrate the holidays. What do you want?" inquired the woman. "Hello Rosmerta. I think I'll try the Halloween tea" told the female after some thought. "I'll go for the cocoa-herb coffee. It looks exciting" informed Luna. "I guess I'll take the Halloween tea as well" said the Weasley with a smile at her face. "Two teas and a coffee. I'll be back soon" replied the female. There were not many students inside the Three Broomsticks since they were apparently doing their shopping now. It had been a smart move to come early. "What are you doing when we come back?" inquired Luna with a curious look at her face.

"Same as my previous years. School work in the morning, doing some exercise, taking a nice bath in the prefect's bathroom before eating at the feast. I'll probably write a Halloween card for Ron as well. What about you?" replied Hermione. "I'll do some school work too. But I'm probably going to take some pictures with the magical camera my father gave me. Halloween is the night where the ghosts come out after all. I will join Ravenclaw at the feast though. What are you doing Ginny?" asked the woman. Their friend suddenly turned pink. "Uhm…I'm waiting for a letter Harry said he would send me. He got tonight off" told Ginny when Madam Rosmerta returned with their drinks. "Here you are! Two teas and a coffee" told the woman as she handed them their order. "Thank you" replied the trio. "So….maybe we should toast for the school year ahead of us?" suggested the youngest female. "I agree" told her older friend after adjusting her cardigan. "Me too. Cheers!" told the oldest woman after lifting her tea. "Cheers!" replied her friends before they clinked their cups together.


	2. Through the seasons: Advent

Hello everyone!

I hope all of you are enjoying your holidays. This time of the year has always been quite special to me. Not just because of the presents, but I get to spend time with the people I like as well. Plus that I really enjoy Christmas-related movies as well as the sweets.

Christmas times at Hogwarts must have been really something to behold. You got snow, a castle plus a lot of magical decorations. But there is something else that I think makes this holiday very special at this magical school. Keep reading and you'll find out what I'm talking about.

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 **Through the seasons – advent.**

'Hm. I should take a break' decided the female as she glanced at her magical wristwatch. She had been writing on her charms essay for a little more than an hour after completing her potions report. Professor Slughorn was thankfully not as hard on the grading compared to Snape, but he expected his N.E.W.T. students to give it their best. Hermione had to admit that potions with the older male was a nicer experience compared to her first five years at Hogwarts. Her new teacher was clearly interested in his subject, which influenced his students in a positive way. The former Slytherin made sure to include potions that were a bit easier to make and were useful to the students too.

They had worked in groups yesterday to create a larger dose of draught of peace. Their teacher had told that they would need it in April when they were preparing for their N.E.W.T.S. It turned out to be quite a good lesson since the young woman had been paired up with Ernie McMillian, Hannah Abbott as well as Padma Patil. Both of the Hufflepuffs were experts in measuring while the Ravenclaw girl turned out to be surprisingly good at following the complex directions. They had all filled up a large bottle each after using an unbreakable charm on it. Afterwards, their teacher told the class to write a report on their team work experience. The Gryffindor found the group work to be quite refreshing – especially since she had never worked with the three people in her group.

A smile formed at her face. 'Maybe that is the result of having Ron and Harry as my best friends. We relied on each other in different ways. Harry was the brave one while Ron provided us with emotional support. But I rarely worked with my other classmates though. Maybe I should try t-'. "Hey, Hermione! Wait a minute!" shouted a female voice behind her. She turned around only to see Padma Patil approach her. She wore the Ravenclaw uniform, so it could not be Parvati. "What is it Padma?" inquired the female while trying to not stare at the scarlet red spot at her classmate's nose. "You forgot your quill during our potion class. Here it is" informed the younger female as she handed the quill back to its owner. "Thank you Padma. Uhm…you got something red on your nose" told the brunette. The inky-haired woman blinked while touching the red spot. "Yeah. I know about that one. I was practicing human transfiguration with my sister. She has a blue dot on her nose. We wanted to look a little different so people could tell us apart. See you Hermione" replied the woman as she went towards the staircase.

A sting of pain made the young woman wince slightly. She was one of the very few Gryffindors that did not have siblings. Harry, Luna as well as Neville had probably not been only children if their parents were still alive. Ron had four older brothers – one of them being an identical twin – plus a younger sister who was in Gryffindor too. Parvati had her twin sister Padma while the other Gryffindor girls had younger siblings. 'One thing is for sure. If I'm having children, they're NOT going to be only children. I want them to have someone they can play with or rely on when they need it' thought the 19-year old as she walked to the prefect bathroom.

All the work had meant that she had not taken a shower in almost two days. Having curly hair that dried easily combined with magical hygiene products meant that she could avoid showers or baths for up to three days. But the young muggle woman knew how important good hygiene was – especially after messy potion lessons. She cleared her throat as she positioned herself in front of the statue of Boris the Bewildered. "Fresh pine" stated Hermione. The statue moved and granted her access to the baths. She closed the door after making sure there was nobody behind her. 'Looks like nobody is here. But it is midday on a weekend day – most people are probably doing homework now or spending time outdoors' concluded the female as she walked into the bathroom.

The Gryffindor did not mind the smell of the orange and cinnamon scented candles. Many of the magical scented candles did not smell as artificial as the muggle scented candles. . She stepped into one of the cubicles and took off her jeans, T-shirt plus her school jumper. The young woman then wrapped the towel around her body after pinning up her golden-brown hair in a knot. She looked out the door, making sure nobody saw her. 'Perfect. Looks like I can enjoy myself' thought Hermione with a smile at her face. It did not take long for the female to fill up the tub with hot water that had a myriad of bubbles that were gold or pale minty green. A smell of grass, cedarwood, musk and a hint of spearmint filled the room after a few minutes. The brainy brunette slipped into the warm water once the tub had been filled a bit more than halfway. 'This is LOVELY' thought the young woman as she leaned her head back. She felt the stress in her body fade away together with her end of the semester nerves.

'Maybe I should do something with Luna or Ginny next weekend. That's the last weekend prior to the Christmas break we're going to stay here' remembered Hermione. Luna was going home one day earlier since her Irish grandparents were paying her a visit. Ginny however was going to help her brothers at the shop during the first weekend of their holiday. They had promised to pay her well since they were having a special Christmas sale. 'Maybe we should do some ice skating after watching the Quidditch match. Ginny isn't going to play, but the winner are going to face Gryffindor after all' recalled the young woman.

Gryffindor had barely snagged their victory after a thrilling match against Hufflepuff. The next match would be Ravenclaw against Slytherin. The latter had fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) kicked out the players that had not been good enough. Their beaters had apparently been replaced with a Scottish duo that were quite skilled. But the Ravenclaw team had not been resting on their laurels either. Luna had told the 19-year old woman that their seeker Cho Chang had been replaced with her younger cousin Ying. 'One thing is for sure – this is going to be an exciting match' thought the teenager as she walked towards the massive shower. She had not been a Quidditch fan when she started at Hogwarts. This was not too odd given her lack of connections to the magical world. But after Harry had become a seeker, she had watched most of the Gryffindor matches to support him plus her house. The female had made an even bigger effort after the youngest Weasley siblings had made it onto the team too. The brunette had found herself enjoying Quidditch more now as an adult since she knew more about the rules as well as the technique that went into it. But the violent aspect was something the female would never enjoy. She knew that accidents could happen, but playing dirty was not something she enjoyed watching.

'It would be fun if Gryffindor won this year as well' thought the young woman. She closed her eyes as she massaged the shampoo into her hair. Said product was a magical shampoo that had been invented by the same person who had made Sleekeazy's hair potion. It moisturized her hair and tamed the frizz much better than the muggle shampoos did. The downside however was the weird olive oil smell that the product had. After she had given her hair a round with the conditioner, it was time to apply some body lotion. The female had decided to go for a muggle type since they were a bit less scary than the magical ones that contained all sorts of herbs. The brunette locked herself into a cubicle prior to applying the lotion all over her body. It smelled a bit nutty, which made her smile a little. Hermione then picked up her wand while reciting the spell inside her. Her wand then started to expel a gust of wind that the female aimed at herself. It was basically a full-sized hair dryer that could make her clothes and hair dry in a shorter amount of time. The brunette had to admit that magic had given her a more practical life after she turned 17. But she had to be careful when using it at home since there were no wizards in her neighborhood.

'Whoa, I better hurry if I want some lunch!' realized the young woman while glancing at her magical watch. It was already 01:32 PM in the afternoon. Lunch was served from noon to 2 PM on weekend days so students could sleep longer or use their time at other things. She left the prefect's bath after putting on her clothes and dressed herself. There were more people in the hallways now compared to earlier that day. Hermione then spotted a familiar head of red hair walking down the stairway to the Great Hall. "Hey Ginny! Are you eating lunch too?" inquired the female as she approached her. But when she saw the expression in her friend's face, she felt her heart skip a beat. Her hazel eyes were sparkling with joy. "Ginny, what has happened?" asked the Gryffindor in a lower voice. "Can we talk at the Great Hall? Luna is meeting me there. There's something I want to tell both of you" told the redhead in a low voice. "Off course" replied the older woman as they walked towards the Great Hall. It did not take long for them to find the other female. She was sitting at the Ravenclaw table in a pair of jeans plus a woolen sweater that were coloured in all the colours in the rainbow.

"Hey Ginny and Hermione. I came down as fast as I could. I barely escaped Peeves on the way here" greeted Luna when her friends sat down across the table. The female pulled out a piece of parchment from her small handbag and laid it at the table. It only took a moment for the brunette to recognize the handwriting. The letter had been written by Harry. "Harry sent me this letter yesterday. He got his N.E.W.T's grades three days ago. He got an 'Outstanding' in DADA while his charms, potions, herbology and transfiguration exams were a strong 'Exceed Expectations' if I remember correctly. He is apparently going to apply for the Auror training right after Christmas. I'm – I'm not sure what to think really. I am really happy that he made it since extremely few are accepted. And I know he should be able to pass after everything that happened last year" confessed the Gryffindor while looking at her friends. The older female felt her lips turn into a smile. She suspected that her friend had told the younger woman to tell them since he did not want everyone to know what had happened. Being a celebrity in the wizard world had made the male Gryffindor vary of who he shared his news with. "That's fantastic news Ginny! I'm quite sure Harry will get through the tests perfectly fine" assured the brunette.

"Me too. Are you going to be an Auror when you've graduated Hermione?" inquired the younger woman after pulling up her jeans a little. The said woman shook her head a little. "No…I am thinking about working for the Ministry actually. I would really like to send S.P.E.W. to the next level after what happened with Dobby. I'm going to talk with McGonagall after the holidays for an internship at the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures. If not, I think I'll see what kind of internships Kingsley has made" replied the 19-year old. Kingsley Shacklebolt had become the Minister for Magic after the defeat of Voldemort. One of the first things he did was to remove all 'non-muggle born wizard' rules that the previous minister had made. The new minister had rehired a majority of the muggle born wizards and witches who had been fired last year. In addition to this, the rehired staff had been given a nice compensation for the time they had lost. This had been a great move by Kingsley since it showed that he cared just as much for the muggle-born staff as the non muggle born staff. Not that the man had needed the extra popularity; the staff and the public liked him quite a lot.

"What are you thinking about Ginny? Are you going to join your brothers at the shop?" asked the female while looking at her friend. She shook her head. "No, it's not really my cup of tea. But I've been thinking about joining a Quidditch team lately. I mean – Gryffindor has done really well for quite some time for starters. And we have a number of players that had gone professional. Just look at how Oliver Wood is doing for Puddlemere United. He made it onto the main team in two years and is playing in many of their matches. Which is saying a lot since Puddlemere United got a really nice score last year" told the redhead. She was quite right on both statements. Even though the Puddlemere United had not won the cup, they had made it onto the top five list last season. Oliver Wood had played in a majority of the matches as well. This had made the Gryffindor team even more determined in succeeding at Quidditch than usual. "At least I don't have to worry about what to buy you or Ron for Christmas. I bet I can get what I need if I go to Quality Quidditch Supplies in the Diagon Alley" joked the brunette, making her friends laugh.

"That reminds me of something. I got your presents here. The purple one is for Hermione while the green one is for you Ginny" informed the blonde. She reached into her pockets and laid two wrapped presents at the table. One of them was square in shape with a violet-coloured wrapping paper on it. The other present was slightly smaller, but had a bulkier shape to it. Said present had been wrapped with chartereuse paper to hide its content. "Thanks Luna. Here is your present. You'll get your present when you visit us during the holidays Hermione" replied the female. She then handed over a somewhat small square package over to her friend. The paper was dark brown while the bow was bright blue.

"Thank you Ginny, I'm sure I'll like it. Aren't you going home for the holidays Hermione?" inquired the young woman while looking at her friend. The older female felt her cheeks turn light pink. "Well – I'm going to visit Harry as well as the Weasley's at Grimmauld Place for three days. Ron wanted to spend some time with me before I went home for Christmas and so did I. We don't see each other as often as we would like. But I want to complete my education after all. Oh, I'll make sure that you get your Christmas present next weekend Luna" promised the Gryffindor. The Ravenclaw gave her a smile as well as a nod. "Really? Are you SURE you just want to complete your education? Or is it just that you miss Hogwarts as well?" joked Ginny while giving her friend a small grin. Both of her friends thought the smile was eerily similar to the one George had. The older woman went quiet for a little while – seemingly deep in thought.

"Well…it's kind of both really. I am going to miss Hogwarts quite a bit. It's not only because I like school though. Hogwarts was after all the place where I got new friends. Not to mention that the atmosphere is quite special. It's always been quite welcoming despite the evil things that found place here during our earlier years. But I have to admit that I really enjoy being here around Christmas time. Maybe it's because it's a holiday that muggles and wizards share" confessed Hermione while looking at her friends. "I agree. And Christmas is all about spending time with family as well as your friends. I think that's what makes it so universal" suggested her friend while tying her auburn hair into a ponytail. "I think so too. Sharing a holiday means that we can get closer to one another as well. I think that's one of the reasons why Hogwarts has this including atmosphere. They include everyone regardless of their background or how much money they have. I haven't heard of Hogwarts turning down students because they're poor or having a non-wizard background" told the younger female while looking at them with wide blue eyes. Her brunette friend blinked when she realized how right her friend was. Maybe people always felt welcome at Hogwarts because they made an effort to include everyone. Not only that, but most of the professors did not treat rich or pure-blood students better. Except Snape and Umbridge that was.

"We better start eating. Lunch ends in just twenty minutes" told her younger friend, snapping her back to reality. The 19-year old picked up two slices of toast, some baked tomato, cooked vegetables plus a small gingerbread man. She was about to pour some tea into her cup when she saw a familiar owl fly towards her table. It turned out to be Pigwigdeon with a small envelope in his claws. The tiny bird dropped the envelope onto the brunette prior to landing about six feet further down at the Gryffindor table. "Poor thing – he looks really hungry! Let's see if I can find some ham meat for you" cooed the redhead after she got up from her seat. Her friend joined her while the young woman removed the envelope from her head.

'To Hermione' read the handwriting that she recognized immediately. It was from Ron. She quickly opened up the envelope to see what was inside. It turned out to be an adorable comic-style Christmas card with a snowman wearing a Santa cap. A smile formed at her face as she opened the card. 'Hello Hermione. I hope you enjoy Christmas time at Hogwarts. I can't wait for you to visit me and Harry at Grimmauld place. When does the Hogwarts train arrive at King's Cross? Please send your reply with Pigwidgeon. Ron' read the Gryffindor. She felt a smile form at her face and put the card away. "Here you go Pig. Have some ham" encouraged the young woman as she gave the bird some sliced up ham. The Scops owl ate the ham with high speed – it must have been really hungry. After the older female had finished her lunch, she took the bird with her back to the Gryffindor common room.

"All right Pigwidgeon. I'm going to let you go soon. I just need to write a reply for Ron" told Hermione after she reached her dorm room. She sat down at the desk before she picked up her quill from her bag. The woman then found a piece of parchment to write on. 'Hello Ron! I'm so happy to hear from you. I am enjoying Christmas time at Howarts despite the tests we have. The Hogwarts train should arrive at 2 PM on the 20th of December. I'll let you know if something changes. Love you. Hermione' wrote the 19-year old. She then laid the piece of parchment into the envelope. "All right Pigwidgeon. Come here" told the female while stretching out her arm. Pigwidgeon landed on it after it had rested on her bed. "Deliver this to Ron or the Weasley house please. Say hello to him from me" ordered the brunette after opening the window. The bird gave her a small 'ke-ra' before it flied out of the tower. She kept an eye on the owl until it became a tiny dot on the sky. 'I can't wait to see Harry and Ron again. But I have to admit that staying at Hogwarts at Christmas is one of the most magic things in the world' thought the young woman with a big smile at her face.

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So - what do you think? I thought about including Harry or Ron, but I wanted this story to focus at the girls. Constructive criticism and praise in the form or reviews or PM's are always appreciated. I hope you all enjoy the holidays that you celebrate during this time of the year!


	3. Through the seasons: Spring equinox

Hello everyone!

Spring is certainly around the corner in most European countries. The days are lighter and the weather is not as frosty. For those who don't know, the spring equinox is at the end of March. Spring equinox is the day where the sun is exactly above the equator. This means that the length of the day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world. Since spring is in the second half of the school year, most seniors in high school or university are looking for jobs or applying for school. Hogwarts is probably no exception to this.

Note for the diehard fans: I have included some events in this chapter just for you. Can you find them all?

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 **Through the seasons – spring equinox.**

Hazel eyes gazed into the mirror. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she splashed lukewarm water onto her face. Today was March 21st – the Quidditch teams would announce the positions they were looking for. 'I REALLY hope the UK teams are looking for seekers or chasers. Harry can't move to the continent yet due to his position after all' recalled the female as she massaged the herbal liquid into her skin. Her boyfriend had passed the first part of his Auror exams, which was terrific news for the Weasley family. The young man had been flustered since he had expected the worst yet hoped for the best. He would be an Auror within a year if he passed the rest of his exams.

Ginny however had been in more of a pickle when she was going to choose her career. She was not dumb by any means, but not as academically inclined as Hermione. The young woman was not that interested in biology or ecology like Luna either. But her career chat with McGonagall last month had presented her with a new option. She had suggested her to apply for a seeker or chaser position at one of the British Quidditch teams. Quite a few former Hogwarts students had become quite famous players, trainers or even commentators throughout the years. Her suggestion had stuck with Ginny. She had played at the Gryffindor team for nearly three years and had been captain for one of them. In addition, Gryffindor had won the cup during her two first years at the team.'I just hope we win the next match we got. That would be fantastic' thought the female while rinsing the soap off.

She put on some magical moisturizer that would even out her complexion. Her makeup routine was laughably simple. It consisted of magical moisturizer, tinted lip balm, pale light brown mascara plus some concealer if she had blemishes. But the redhead did not see the point in caking on makeup since her fellow students knew how she looked like. And even magical makeup could not withstand the average Quidditch training session without being smeared across her face. 'Calm down Ginny. You got this. Remember that you can work at the 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' or apply as a sports writer for a newspaper or radio. Except from the station where Lee Jordan works – I doubt a lot of people could outperform him' thought the young woman. She had heard him a couple times when he commentated on Quidditch matches in the UK. He was more energetic compared to the older commentators plus a sense of humor that even appealed to her parents. They had been supportive to her idea, especially since she had done quite a good job at the Quidditch team after Harry had graduated. But they advised her to have a backup plan as well in case there were no jobs or no teams that accepted her. Her mother had told her to not take any rejections too harsh. "Remember that they're looking for a wide range of people on those teams. There are probably hundreds of applicants as well. Don't take it personal if they don't choose you" told Molly with a warm look in her brown eyes. Her statement still made Ginny smile – she was extremely lucky to have such a loving mother.

'Right. Time to choose my outfit' thought the female as she returned to her bedroom. Today was Sunday, so there was no need for a uniform. She decided to go with dark blue straight jeans, a simple white T-shirt plus the golden yellow knitted sweater with red Fair isle decorations around the neckline and sleeves. It was her mother who had knitted the latter piece of clothing. 'Right. Time to get some lunch' decided the teenager after putting on her shoes. She had spent about an hour to catch up on some homework plus another half hour to read about the topic for tomorrow's charm lesson. Afterwards, the Weasley had to write a letter to her parents. They had sent her a letter two days earlier with all of the logistics. Her older brothers Bill and Percy plus her sister-in-law Fleur were staying from Sunday to Wednesday. Ron as well as George could only stay there from Tuesday to Thursday. They had a huge number of customers nowadays thanks to their better marketing strategies. Harry had promised he would be at the Burrow from Wednesday to Saturday. Hermione and Luna were going to stay with their respective families during the break.

'We have one more week left until the spring break starts. I think I'll leave on Sunday next week and stay until Friday. That means I can say hello to all of my brothers while still having some time to prepare for my N.E.W.T's' concluded the young woman after she had checked the calendar. She pulled out a sheet of parchment and wrote down the information on it. After writing her usual good bye signature, Ginny left the room to post the letter. She noticed that there were more students in the hallways now compared to just six weeks earlier. It was probably due to the shift in seasons. The female felt her lips form a small smile as she walked out of the castle. Several of the plants in the greenhouse as well as the gardens had started to bloom while the sleet had been replaced by light rain. Rays of sun light were peeking through the dreary gray clouds that floated across the skies. A scent of wet grass combined with damp soil tingled her nose. 'It smells like spring' concluded the redhead as she walked towards the owlery. She enjoyed spring since the nature was waking up after its long sleep. Hooting could be heard from the tower where the owls were staying. But when the young woman stepped into the owlery, she saw a familiar head of blonde hair. "Luna? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to work at your herbology paper" inquired the Weasley. Her friend turned around. "Oh – hello Ginny. I just remembered that I had to tell my father which date I was coming. I wasn't sure if I was going to take the Friday or Sunday train. I decided on Sunday since my father has his deadline on Saturday" informed Luna. Her father was still the editor of "The Quibbler", which was still going strong. "I'm leaving on Sunday as well. None of my siblings or my boyfriend are going to be at the Burrow any earlier" replied the female while looking for a suitable owl.

"I see. Oh – look" told the young woman while pointing at something behind her friend. Ginny turned around to see what it was. Her hazel eyes widened when she saw a snowy white owl perch at one of the twigs. 'That owl looks just like Hedwig. But it's a bit smaller with no black bars on it. Perhaps it's a male bird' pondered the young woman. The bird looked at her as she approached him with steady steps. It felt a bit eerie in a way since snowy owls were not very common in England. In fact, there were few school owls that were of that specie. "Hey there. Could you please deliver a letter for me?" inquired the redhead. A pair of bright golden eyes looked at her with curiosity. "I want you to deliver this to my parents in Ottery Saint Catchpole. They'll take care of you when you arrive. There's nothing magical in here like a howler" promised the female. She remembered how vary Errol had been after her mother had sent that scarlet red letter to Ron after driving to Hogwarts in the Ford Anglia. The snowy owl looked at her for a moment before it stretched its head slightly forwards. Ginny extended the hand holding the letter towards the bird. She made sure not to move too fast or do any sudden movements. The bird then grabbed the letter before leaving the tower in a set of fluid motions.

"Whoa. That was a little creepy" muttered the young woman. "I think it was quite sweet. Maybe it's Hedwig's way of telling you that she's still looking out for you and Harry" told the Ravenclaw while handing her letter to a barn owl. It sounded a bit far-fetched for the female however. Especially since Harry was not going to be the one receiving her letter. "I'm going back to the Great Hall for some lunch. Are you coming?" inquired the redhead. "I'll come a bit later. I need to sort out my laundry first" replied the female. "All right, see you later then" told the young woman as she walked out of the tower. She nearly walked straight into a dark-skinned Hufflepuff student who appeared to be no older than 13 years old. 'Merlin. Those students are getting smaller each year. Or perhaps I'm just the one growing older' realized the Gryffindor as she walked back to the castle. It felt odd to be 18 years old with the younger students being only 12-13 years old. She could still remember how it felt like to cross the lake on the small boats before they met McGonagall. Her first year had not been the best experience due to the cursed diary plus the enormous snake hiding around in the pipes. Ginny was happy that her parents was going to Egypt that summer. Leaving the rainy British Isles for a while to experience a different culture had been just what she needed. It didn't made matters worse that she was staying with her family all the time. A smile formed at her face as she entered the grand building. Having a large family could be a bit of a nuisance, especially when you were the only girl with six older brothers. But it had taught her to not give up plus that your opinion counted just as much as others.

A familiar smell of toast, omelet, apples, coffee and tea tingled her nose upon entering the Great Hall. Her hazel eyes spotted a seat at the far end of the Gryffindor table that was close to the windows. She had just sat down when a familiar flutter of wings could be heard. The owls were coming with the Sunday mail. Unlike the muggle world, the wizard world had mail un Sundays as well. 'OK Ginny. Let's hope for the best' prayed the female when an owl dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet next to a bowl with apples in it. Her hands were shaking a little as she flipped to the job adverts section. 'Whoa! There are quite a few here!' noticed the redhead upon reading the adverts. There were at least ten different adverts that were quidditch related.

'Let's see. The Falmouth Falcons are looking for a new keeper. Out of the question for me at least, but maybe I should tell Ron' mused the young woman. 'Then we got the Ballycastle Bats…they're looking for a manager plus a beater. I can't apply for any of those. The Scottish national team are on the hunt for a seeker as well as a chaser. Maybe I should give the seeker part a go' decided the teenager before she draw a circle around the advert with her wand. 'The Daily Prophet in Scotland wants a new sports writer for the Quidditch section. I'll have that one for my backup. Appleby Arrows are searching for a beater as well as a chaser. I think I'll give that one a try as well. The Montrose Magpies are in need of a beater plus a reserve…not quite what I'm looking for. Ooh. This one looks good' thought the female when she saw an advert for the Holyhead Harpies. They were searching for two new chasers for next year. 'The Holyhead Harpies are an all-women team, which should increase my chances. Definitely on the top of my list' concluded Ginny as she circled the last advert. She turned the page around before serving herself some lunch. Her appetite had shrunk due to the nerves for applying a job.

It was getting real. In just three short months, the teenager was leaving Hogwarts for good. She would live in an apartment somewhere instead of the Gryffindor dormitory room with the other girls. Her friends would probably not live in the same city as her, but magic was quite handy in terms of travel. The young woman could still remember what Harry had told her about traveling in the muggle world. Even if airplanes were able to take you across the globe, it was way more time-consuming than floo powder for instance. That reminded her of the living situation. Would she be living with Harry or were they better of separately first? They were both Gryffindors, so they had shared a common room as well as eating space. But sharing a kitchen, living room, bathing room plus the bedroom (!) together was quite a different story. 'Get a grip Ginevra! It will turn out well. But I better find the template McGonagall gave us for writing job applications. But I wonder how I should apply for Quidditch. I bet they have an audition of some sort to see how good my skills are. Maybe I should check the Quidditch bios in the magazines Ron sent me' concluded the brother had given her a subscription to a Quidditch magazine plus some personalized Quidditch gear as a birthday present last year. She had been quite happy about it. Those kinds of presents were those that you always needed, but not always bought yourself. Each edition of the magazine contained results of recent matches in Europe plus a number of interviews with players or trainers. There was a fun fact about different teams in the back too, which never failed to make her laugh. The young woman put some omelet on her toast after turning the next page.

'Whoa. The Celestina Warbeck concerts have donated more than 1000 galleons to the magical hospital in Cardiff! The 'Flighty Aphrodite' tour must have gone really well. Too bad mum couldn't get any tickets' recalled the teenager. Since the singing witch was so popular, the tickets were often sold for immensely high prices at the black market. It had even caused a three-broom pileup near Liverpool just six weeks ago. But the female was happy that the popular singer was giving back to the community – especially to something like a hospital. 'Let's see how the Quidditch results are' thought Ginny as she flipped to the next page. The Falmouth Falcons had tied with the Wigtown Wanderers, which surprised her a little. Both of the seekers had apparently tried to catch the snitch when both teams had 100 points. A combination of sweat plus a sudden downpour caused the seeker duo lose the grip of their broomsticks. As a result, the two players collided with a chaser from each team. The match was called off since more than two players from both teams were unable to continue.

"Hello Ginny" called a voice, pulling her back to the real world. Said woman turned around to see who it was. "Hello Hermione! Whoa – what has happened with your hair?" whispered the female. Her friends bushy brown hair appeared to be soaking wet and had a hint of green in it. "I'm trying out an herbal remedy that professor Sprout recommended. I've mixed aloe vera gel, Irish moss plus some gomas barbadensis. But the downside is that it needs at least an hour to kick in" replied Hermione after she had sat down. "I'm sure it'll work out. If it doesn't, I'm sure madam Pomfrey can sort it out. Just like the time Dean's hair turned bright orange during the transfiguration class" recalled the redhead. Dean had been partnered up with Justin during the human transfiguration class. The latter had ended up with bright purple hair while the other guy ended up with tangerine colour hair. But the problem was that his afro hair hold onto the colour a lot better than his classmates. Madam Pomfrey had to use a magical dye lotion before cutting off two inches of it. Thankfully, the Gryffindor did not mind since his hair grew quite fast.

"Speaking of which – are you applying for any of the St. Mungo positions? I'm quite sure they had quite a few available" told the younger woman. Her friend had a thoughtful expression while she poured herself a cup of tea. "Well – I was kind of tempted since they got quite a good salary. But I was thinking more about applying for a position at the Ministry of Magic. Kingsley had posted a huge number of adverts in the Friday's edition of the Daily Prophet. Some of them requested people who had taken muggle studies or had a lot of knowledge about the muggle society. There was one however that picked my interest as well. It was one regarding regulations of magical creatures" admitted Hermione. "Really? Why is that?" inquired the Gryffindor. She knew that the older female had (as always) received top marks in care of magical creatures. But her friend was not currently taking the subject or shown a huge interest in magical creatures like Luna did. "I actually wanted to continue with my work on S.P.E.W. I think non-humans such as house-elves deserves better treatment. And the ministry are already creating new laws regarding several underprivileged groups" replied the brunette.

What she said resounded with what was going on. After Voldemort was gone, the ministry had started to reform several outdated laws. There had been protests – especially from pureblood families plus traditional groups. But there were plenty of people agreeing with the new ministry of magic. Voldemort was gone and it was time to get rid of old prejudices. "Sounds exciting Hermione. Fingers crossed that we'll get the jobs we've applied for" said her friend with a gleam in her hazel eyes. "Oh? Have you applied for jobs too?" inquired the female while she raised her eyebrows in wonder. "Well, I'm thinking about applying for a couple of Quidditch teams. I've already found two teams in the UK that are looking for a seeker or chaser. I'm probably going to send in an application for the Daily Prophet's Quidditch section as well" informed Ginny. She was fully aware of that her cheeks were probably more red than usual. Just talking about it made her a little nervous. "Good for you Ginny! I'm sure you'll do great. I mean, several Gryffindor Quidditch players have been recruited by professional teams. I need to go now – I promised to help Luna with some charms. See you later Ginny" said Hermione. "See you later Hermione" replied the redhead. She could not help but to smile a little bit. Maybe leaving Hogwarts would not be so hard as she had thought it would be.

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So...did you find the clues I left for you? Please let me know in a review or message. Constructive criticism and praise are much appreciated. I hope you have a nice spring wherever you are!


	4. Through the season: Summer solstice

Aaaand this story is finally complete! I had a bit of a hard time writing this chapter. Not only due to lack of time, but I had to find a closure as well.

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 **Through the seasons – summer solstice.**

'Today is Monday. My first lesson is charms with professor Flitwick. Next is care of magical creatures. Then it's lunch before I have herbology. My last lesson is defense against the dark arts. Perfect for last day of school' thought the female. She opened her bag to make sure she had the necessary books. All the books were there, so it was time to go down for breakfast. Luna went down to the common room where two of the third year students were reading a book about animal transfiguration. She noticed that the sun was shining despite that it was not even 8 AM yet. 'Hmm…I hope the weather lasts until my care of magical creatures lessons are over. It's a pain to be outside when we're having rain or snow' thought the young woman.

She exited the tower and went down to the Great Hall. The very familiar scent of toast, tea as well as jam tingled her nose. A small pang of sadness hit her since this was the last official school day at Hogwarts. It would not be very likely that the blonde would return for another year. She was doing quite well at school thanks to the help Hermione and Ginny had given her for starters. The female did not have to worry about Voldemort running around or death eaters causing havoc either. To cap it all, she had just turned 18. Harry, Ron, Hermione as well as Ginny had celebrated her birthday last weekend. Her father would probably invite her relatives to have a birthday party this weekend. It was a tradition they had every school year. 'Oh – I have to reply to the letter he sent last week about the Hogwarts express. I need to send the letter today so he doesn't forget it' recalled Luna. She put some grilled tomato on her toast after she had poured some tea in her cup.

The young woman looked around her as she ate her food. Despite being less outgoing than Ginny, the teenager would miss the meal times at Hogwarts. Being able to catch up with your friends at mealtimes was not something everyone could. Another privilege was that she did not have to cook her own breakfast. Her father always made her breakfast during the holidays to make sure she got a good start on the day. 'I guess I have to practice more during the summer' concluded the female after she had finished her toast. She brushed the crumbs off her uniform before she went up to the charms lesson. The blonde tried to not collide into anyone as she jogged up the staircase. 'That's one thing I won't miss. Moving staircases can be quite inconvenient sometimes' mused the young woman as she reached the top of the stairs. She noticed that the door to the classroom was already open and went in. Her ears picked up the buzzing of familiar voices when she entered the room. It was to be expected since most of the students were present. Hermione was sitting by herself at the front and was reading in a book. Luna smiled as she went over to her desk. "Good morning Hermione. How're you?" greeted the female.

"Oh – morning Luna. I-I was just reading on something for my history class" replied the older woman. "I see. I wonder what we're going to have this lesson. I mean, our N.E.W.T's practical exam were last week after all" said the Ravenclaw. The N.E.W.T's consisted of a theoretical exam plus a practical exam. The last theoretical exam was usually a week prior to the first practical exam. This gave the students some time to calm their nerves and practice their spells. "I think we're going to have some games or a competition. That's what we had when we completed our exams in my sixth year" answered the Gryffindor. "Good morning everyone! Nice to see that the N.E.W.T's did not hinder you from showing up" greeted a familiar male voice. Flitwick had just arrived and was using his wand to levitate a wooden box. He had just placed the box on the floor when one of the Hufflepuff students approached him with a slip. The man read it and gave the student a nod.

"All right then! Today is my last day as your charms teacher. I must say, it has been an honor to teach you all. Especially due to the events that happened about a year ago" started the male. The students nodded with a serious look at their faces. The two female friends at the front felt a shiver run down their spine when he said this. "Since this is the last day with charms, we are going to play games that are a bit different. You do not only need to be good at charms. You need to use your smarts as well. Please choose your game after you have teamed up in four man or women teams. We are sixteen people today, so we can form four teams. No more than two people from the same house can be in one team" instructed the charms teacher. The blonde and the brunette decided to team up with a red-haired Hufflepuff girl plus one of the Slytherin boys. The redhead got them a game that looked like a quiz of some sort. "All right. There are four colours. Choose a card with the same colour as the circle you're standing on. The number of correct answers will tell how many circles you can move. If you answer correct on four questions, you can move four circles forwards. You get a minute to answer your question" read the older female.

They chose a figurine and started moving. Hermione was the first one to answer her questions. "Question one: What is the name of the charm that can propel you to the surface of the water?" asked the male. The memory of Harry emerging from the lake during the Triwizard Tournament popped up in her mind. "Ascendio!" replied the female. "Correct. Question two: What charm do you need to use to immobilize a target?" inquired the black-haired guy. The memory of the pixies in Gilderoy's class emerged in her brain. "I think it's the immobulus charm" answered the teenager. "Immobulus is correct. What charm can liften the mood of someone who has suffered heartbreak?" asked the young man. The young woman tried to think, but another memory came in her way. It was the memory where Ron had left the group during their search for the horcrux. The feeling she had felt back then did not fade until he came back and apologized. She took a deep breath while trying to suppress her emotions a little. "I-I don't think there is any" told the brunette in a quiet voice. "That's correct I'm afraid. Question four: Are there a spell that can conjure birds?" inquired the Slytherin. She instantly remembered the name of that one. Ron had been the unfortunate receiver of the said charm during their sixth year. "Yes, it's called avis" stated the female. "Correct. Question five: Which charm can cause bills to be paid?" asked the guy with a mused look at his face. "Uhm…wait a second…" muttered Hermione as she tried to think of one. She could not recall any charms that could produce money or make things look like money. "I don't think there are any" concluded the young woman. "That's correct – sadly. And time is up. You did really well" told the inky-haired guy with a polite smile. "Thanks" replied the young woman as she moved five circles forwards.

Luna was up next and the Hufflepuff was going to ask her. "All right. Question one: Which charm has two versions that can both cause an explosion?" inquired the girl. The female suddenly remembered the time Umbridge blew up the wall during a DA meeting. It was a memory that still made her angry despite being a rather optimistic person. "I think it's the bombarda" replied the Ravenclaw. "Correct! Question two: Is there a spell that can cure sadness?" asked the teenager. The young woman knit her brows as her brain started to churn at full speed. She was positive that there was a tickling charm as well as a cheering charm. But those spells just made people laugh. "I don't think there is a spell that can cure sadness" told the female. "Correct. There are spells that can make people laugh or smile, but that doesn't cure sadness. Question three: Name three types of charms that can protect a user" continued the young woman. "Uhm…protego duo…the patronus charm…uhm…oh! Protego horribilis!" recalled the blonde. "Correct! And we're out of time I'm afraid. But you got three right though" said the redhead. "Yeah. It's not that bad" replied the young woman as she moved three circles forwards. It did not take long until the class was dismissed.

"I would like the Ravenclaws to stay behind a bit. I'm the head of your house and I got some messages for you. Don't worry – I will write a note to the professors who have you in the upcoming class" told Flitwick. Everyone except the Ravenclaws students stayed behind. The tiny man waved his wand and five envelopes flied up from the wooden box. It appeared that the letters had been hidden in a secret room inside it. The envelopes turned around to reveal the names on the front. Each Ravenclaw student took the envelope that had their name on it. "I would like you to read this letter before you go home on holiday. I'll see you at the end of year dinner tomorrow" told the old man. "Yes professor Flitwick" replied the five students. The female felt a sting of sadness in her hearth as she left the classroom. This was the last time she would attend charms lessons with this teacher. He had been the person who had welcomed her class to the Ravenclaw tower and talked to them at the start of each year. Flitwick had in addition taught them charms that could fill up glasses or make things explode. 'He's been a huge positive influence in our lives despite being a short man' thought the teenager as she went down to the ground floor.

* * *

The transfiguration classroom was abuzz as McGonagall appeared. Her stern expression seemed to be softer than usual. 'Wait a second. Today is the last day the Gryffindors are having McGonagall in transfiguration!' remembered the female. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs had transfiguration on Mondays while Ravenclaw and Slytherin had transfiguration on Tuesdays. "Good morning everyone. Today is the last day I will be your transfiguration teacher. I would like the Gryffindors to stay behind after this lesson. Professor Sprout told me that the Hufflepuff students had to come to her office tomorrow at 3 PM sharp" told the woman. Everyone nodded, curious about what the reason for this could be. Hermione suspected it had something to do with the graduation. All the Gryffindors who were in this room were going to graduate. The only exception was Neville, who had a free period.

"We're going to do something a bit different today. I want you to choose two nonverbal spells you want to practice on. There are only three requirements. One: They cannot be used to injure another classmate or person. Two: It must be a spell that can be useful in dangerous situations. Three: The spell must be one you enjoy. I don't mind you working together if you're doing the same spell. Let's begin" finished the principal. The young woman knit her brows as she tried to think of the five nonverbal spells that fit those requirements. 'I think I should pick the alohomora as my first? That can be useful in case I need to escape without people hearing me. My second charm is going to be the expelliarmus charm. Disarming someone without saying anything is a huge advantage' decided the Gryffindor.

She went to the cupboard and picked up a padlock from a box. They often used those for spells involving locking or unlocking. Her light brown eyes narrowed as her mind focused on the spell. The female laid the medium-sized padlock on the table and picked up her wand. 'Alohomora!' thought Hermione while she pointed at the padlock. It did not budge. Her mind started to float back to her first year at Hogwarts. Alohomora was one of the first spells she had learned. The young woman had used it to unlock doors, cupboards or locks that were in her way. A smile formed at her lips. 'It's almost like how magic can work if used right. It unlocks the passage to learning or discovering new things' mused the Gryffindor. She lifted her wand once more before pointing it on the padlock. 'Alohomora!' repeated the female. A small 'click' was heard as the padlock unlocked itself. 'Yes!' thought the teenager. She put the padlock back to locking position and tried it one more time. 'Alohomora' said the young woman with her inner voice. Another 'click' was heard as the padlock unlocked itself.

The brunette decided to try expelliarmus. But how could she practice that without a partner? She decided to use one of the practice puppets they had in the back. The female placed a wand in its hand before walking a bit backwards. 'Focus Hermione. No wonder Harry did this spell so well – he had so many he wanted to protect. What sort of enemy can be in my way?' pondered the witch. Voldemort was dead for starters. Nearly all the death eaters had been killed, caught, put in prison or turned away from their belief. A squeal of surprise snapped her out of her concentration. It was Ginny, who had lifted her skirt quite high by accident. Her accident made a shiver run down her spine. What if it was not a spell, but another person? Rapists were not uncommon in the wizard world or among muggles. A fire lit in her brown eyes as she looked back at the dummy. 'EXPELLIARMUS!' shouted the female internally. The fake wand flied out of the dummy's hand before it landed five feet away. 'Not bad' concluded the Gryffindor as she attached the wand to the dummy's hand once more. She tried to come up with a different scenario. 'OK. Let's try something else. What if it's someone who is completely mad like Bellatrix?' recalled the young woman. Just the memory of what she did to her just a year ago made her insides cold as ice. Her arm was shaking a little as her eyes looked at the wand hand. 'EXPELLIARMUS!' screamed the brunette inside her while her wand aimed at the fake one. The fake wand was sent backwards before it hit the wall ten feet behind it.

'Heh…looks like I just need to keep my imagination going. What else may I face in the real world?' wondered the young woman. She picked up the fake wand while she tried to come up with a new scenario. Most of her wizard friends could defend themselves quite well. But what if someone attacked her muggle family or muggle friends? A muggle did not have a chance against a magical creature, witch or wizard. Even a simple shield charm could easily deflect bullets from a gun. Hermione imagined her parents being the target for a nasty sectumsempra as she lifted her wand again. 'EXPELLIARMUS!' thought the female while she fired off another disarming charm. It took only a second until the wand had been sent six feet to the right. "All right everyone. Class is over. I would like the Gryffindors to stay behind. The rest of you have to leave. I'll see you tomorrow at the end of the year dinner" told McGonagall. Everyone apart from the Gryffindors packed their bags. The teenager had just put the dummy back when Neville walked through the door.

"Hey Hermione! How're you?" greeted the male with a smile at his face. "Not too bad. How are you?" replied the young woman. "Not too bad. I'm a bit sad though. This is our last day here after all" told the Gryffindor. She nodded in agreement. "Please come over here" told the woman after she had laid five envelopes on the table. Each envelope had a name on it. The brunette saw there was one with her name on the far left. "I would like you to open this envelope tonight or tomorrow before the end of year dinner. Read it thoroughly several times. Harry and Ron told me they are coming tomorrow morning. I will see you at the dinner tomorrow" told the witch after she had handed them the envelopes. "Thank you professor" told the Gryffindor students. The female could not help but to smile. 'I'm really lucky to have had McGonagall as my head teacher. I mean – she's a female principal who fought Voldemort last year! And she's thought me so much about transfiguration that I can't bring it to words' thought Hermione as she walked towards the Gryffindor tower. It was time to pack down her luggage for the Hogwarts express in just two short days.

* * *

"So – are you interested in meeting me and Luna after dinner?" inquired Ginny as they started on their last "normal" school dinner. It consisted of baked chicken, root vegetables, gravy plus baked potatoes. "Maybe. What are you doing?" replied the older woman after she had swallowed a mouthful of potato and vegetables. "We're going to open the letters our professors gave us. They told us to open them today or tomorrow after all" said the female. The teenager nodded in reply. "I don't mind. Not sure if I can stay all night. Ron told me he would send an owl tonight with details about the holiday. He said he would use Pigwidgeon since the weather was nice" told Hermione. The said owl had gotten much better at delivering letters over the years. "I see. I can't wait to get the reply from my audition for the Holyhead Harpies either" stated the redhead after she refilled her tea cup with her wand. The buzz of voices was a welcome sound. They noticed that Luna was sitting next to a barn owl. She had a concentrated look at her face while she was reading a seemingly important letter. The young woman then handed the owl a letter with her hand writing plus an owl treat. Said animal let out a small screech before it left the Great Hall. Both Gryffindors went over to the Ravenclaw table after their friend had finished their dinner.

"Hello Luna! How're you?" greeted the female. "Oh, hi Ginny. I just got a letter from the Ministry. I've been accepted to their zoologist program in September" replied her friend before she turned the paper in her hand. The two young women bent down to read it. "Dear Ms. Lovegood. We have accepted your application for our magizoology course. The course starts at September 1st at the Ministry of Magic in London. The classes will be held by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Please bring an ID, parchments, quills plus the books listed underneath. An exam will be held in June next year. This course must be passed to take the level II version of this course. We wish you a pleasant day. Best regards, Mathilda Grimblehawk, executive at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures" read the brunette. "Luna, that's amazing! Congratulations!" said the teenager while hugging the surprised Ravenclaw. "I agree with Ginny. Congratulations with getting accepted" told the other young woman. She decided not to hug since her friend looked a little winded. "Thank you. I am really looking forward to start this course. If I complete all three levels, I can become a magizoologist. But it will require at least an 'E' in care of magical creatures, an 'A' or higher in herbology plus another 'A' or more in defense against the dark arts. I think the care of magical creatures went really well. Same for the defense against the dark arts. But how did your audition go Ginny?" inquired the female.

"It went quite well. I did my audition in Wales two weeks ago. I decided to audition for the chaser position and my team scored four goals. I managed to score one. But I won't get to know the answer until next week" replied Ginny. "That sounds really good. I don't know much about Quidditch, but scoring a goal sounds like a good thing. Have you got a job Hermione?" asked the blonde after she had gotten up from the table. "Er – I think I have. Kingsley sent me a letter two days ago. He asked me if I wanted to apply for a trainee program in the Ministry. I decided to say yes. But I don't know which program I will be enrolled into until I get my N.E.W.T's result" admitted the Gryffindor as they left the Great Hall. They had decided to go to the Ravenclaw common room to enjoy the view. "I'm sure you'll get into the department of magical law enforcement. I mean, you're the smartest witch in our year" told the young woman while she put up her auburn hair in a ponytail. "Thanks for the compliment Ginny. I'm positive you and Luna will get a positive answer as well" replied the teenager as they went towards the entrance.

"How many roads must a man walk down?" inquired the eagle knocker. It did not take long for the Ravenclaw to come up with the answer. "The one he is on" answered the female. The door opened moments later and the witches walked in. The sun was still out despite that it was 7:30 PM in the evening. But today was June 21st after all. Today was the longest day of the year. Nobody was in the room at the moment. Most of the Ravenclaws were most likely eating dinner, partying, relaxing or packing their suitcases. "Accio envelope" muttered Luna while she waved her wand. Her envelope came flying down the stairs and she grabbed it with her left hand. Her friends took out the envelopes they had been given as well. "All right. Let's see what it says" told Hermione. Her friends nodded. The trio opened their letters before they pulled out something that resembled a stiff type of parchment.

"You two can go first since you are from the same house" told the young woman. "Dear student. Congratulations on finishing your Hogwarts education. Remember that there are many things out there that requires the values Gryffindor are so famous for" started the Weasley. "Never forget that daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart. Best regards, Minerva McGonagall, head teacher of the Gryffindor house" finished the Granger. The trio went silent for a few moments. What the letter said was as true as it could get. There were things out there that they had to be prepared for as adults. Applying for a job, living at their own, protecting loved ones plus asking out someone they had a crush on required the values that Gryffindor was so famous for. "OK Luna. Why don't you read yours?" suggested the younger woman.

"Dear student. Congratulations on completing your Hogwarts education. School may be over, but there is still so much to learn. Remember to stay curious and keep an open mind. Do not forget that wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure. Best regards, Filius Flitwick, head teacher of the Ravenclaw house" read the blonde. The room went quiet one more time. What the letter said applied for all three of them. One of them had applied for magizoology classes, another was going to be an intern at the Ministry while the last one had auditioned for a Quidditch position. "I have to say – I think we have learned an immense amount of things at Hogwarts" told the female in a silent voice as she looked at the Gryffindors. "I agree. The seven years of lessons and living here have taught me more than what I would have ever imagined" muttered the older female while brushing a strand of brown hair away from her face. "Mhm. But I think we have an exciting chapter ahead of us as well. We can discover things on our own now" said Ginny. Her friends nodded before they looked out of the window. Their time at Hogwarts was over. It was time to put their knowledge plus their experiences into practice in the magical world.

* * *

So - what are your thoughts? Please let me know in a PM or a review. Constructive criticism and praise are always appreciated. I wish you all a great day!


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